Representatives of the pan-Canadian labour movement are gathered in New York on the occasion of the 56th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The theme this year focuses on empowering rural women, and we are here to ensure that governments agree to protecting public services, providing access to decent work and quality education and training at all levels for rural and Aboriginal women.
We are very dissatisfied with the statement that was issued on February 29 by the Honorable Rona Ambrose, Minister responsible for the Status of Women, at the plenary session of the Commission. In that statement, there was no mention of the role of government in the development of policies and programs that could empower rural women.
No reference to the important role of public services, such as public transportation, clean water, health care, affordable housing and quality education, in ensuring women's equality and full participation in society.
No reference to the importance of ensuring that rural women have access to decent work, including pay equity, health and safety at work and child care.
No reference to an action plan addressing violence against Aboriginal women, poverty alleviating measures, or other measures to end the housing and education crisis on and off reserve.
No reference to the importance of ensuring that women participate in the process leading to local, regional and national development policies.
And while the government is preparing the federal budget 2012, there was no reference to the importance of taking gender into account in budgetary policies, despite repeated promises to do so.
We reiterate that we are:
We are very dissatisfied with the statement that was issued on February 29 by the Honorable Rona Ambrose, Minister responsible for the Status of Women, at the plenary session of the Commission. In that statement, there was no mention of the role of government in the development of policies and programs that could empower rural women.
No reference to the important role of public services, such as public transportation, clean water, health care, affordable housing and quality education, in ensuring women's equality and full participation in society.
No reference to the importance of ensuring that rural women have access to decent work, including pay equity, health and safety at work and child care.
No reference to an action plan addressing violence against Aboriginal women, poverty alleviating measures, or other measures to end the housing and education crisis on and off reserve.
No reference to the importance of ensuring that women participate in the process leading to local, regional and national development policies.
And while the government is preparing the federal budget 2012, there was no reference to the importance of taking gender into account in budgetary policies, despite repeated promises to do so.
We reiterate that we are:
- In support of public services
- In support of access for rural women to affordable, quality, public and not-for-profit early learning and care
- In support of the transfer of the gun registry data to the provinces and territories
- In support of the rights of Aboriginal women
- For the application of "decent work" standards, and their application to women working in rural regions
- For the adoption of a gender sensitive federal budget
We ask that the federal government respect its commitment under the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, that it revise its current policies and take the necessary measures to effectively respect and promote women's rights, in particular women living in rural and remote regions.
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